Aeroplane control



V. DE DOMINICIS AND F. A. REIP.

I A EROPLANE CONTROL.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.20, 19x9.

' 1,3%8,548 a Patented Aug. 3, 1920.

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, .To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, VINCENT DE DOMI- NICIS and FRANK A. HELP, citizensofthe United States, residing at East Urange 1n the county of Essex andState of ew Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAeroplane Control; and we do herebydeclare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the into vention, such as will enableothers skilled in the control of the ailerons, the elevators and therudder so that the same may be grouped for actuation from a singlestick.

The present invention dispenses with the rudder bar and with all wiringand cables an employed in other controls, and provides an improvedunitary control for the various devices that is' easy and simple both inconstruction and operation.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, and inwhich similar reference symbols indicate corresponding parts in theseveral views: 1

Figure 1 is .a side elevational view with the parts in section and partsbroken away at showing an improved control constructed in accordancewith the present invention.

' Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1.

Figs. 3 and 4 show fraentary views of at details.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view with portions broken away showing one ofthe plans and the aileron connection; and

Fig. 6. is a perspective view with parts as broken away showing a tandemcontrol.-

Referring more particularly to the drawv ings, 1 designates a tubularstick having its lower end forked, as iridicated at 2 in Fig. 3, the twobranches of the fork being pivoted as indicated at 3 in Figs. 3 and tto'the opposite sides of a oke 4c. The yoke has trunnions 5 and 6 ywhich it may rock transversely in bearings 7 and 8 supported in anysuitable manner on the aeroplane.

so The stick 1 is also capable of swinging longitudinally of theaeroplane on the pivots 3 without disturbing the position of the yoke d.

Arranged within the stick 1 is a rotatable shaft 9 having a bevel pinion10 at. its upper end mesg with a bevel gear wheel 11 Specification ofLetters katent. i

Patented Aug. a, read.

Application filed December 20, 1919. Serial No. 346,338.

turned by a rotatable steering wheel 12 mounted in the upper end of thestick 1, the stick being hollowed out at the top portion to form ahousing for the gears 10 and 11.

The lower end of the shaft 9 is coupled to a stub shaft 13 by means of auniversal joint indicated at 14. The universal joint is in transversealinement with the pivot pins 3 on which the stick 1 swingslongitudinally and also in longitudinal alinement with the trunnions 5and 6 of the yoke 4 on which the stick 1 s in transverse direction.

The lower end of the stub shaftisprovided with abevel pinion 15 meshingwith a similar pinion 16 on a shaft 17 which runs longitudinally of theaeroplane and carries at its rear end another bevel pinion 18 in meshwith a similar pinion 19. The pinion i9 is fixed on'the rudder stein 20and is adapted to turn the gudder to the right or left in accordancewith the motion imparted to the pinion 19 from the hand wheel 12.

Tn this manner the control of the rudder is bad through the shafts 9 and17 from the hand wheel 12 carried by the stick 1 and such control of therudder may be had at all "times, irrespective of the position of theeither longitudinalor transverse directions.

A rod 21 is connected to the stick 1 and extends longitudinally of theaeroplane and in a rearward direction from the stick, the

rear end of the rod 21 carrying a bevel segment or half circle 22 rochngabout a center 23 and engaging a bevel pinion 24: on a shaft 25 whichcarries a second bevel pinion 26 in mesh with a like pinion 27 carriedby the elevator shaft and adapted to raise and lower the elevators 28accordingly as the stick 1 is moved in a forward or rear direction. Therudder is indicated at 29. l

The front trunnion 6, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 4, is extended beyondits bearing 8 and receives a rocker 30 connected by rods 31 and '32 tothe ailerons of opposite planes. Tn Fig. 5, the rod 31 is shown asconnecting to a crank 33 which is secured toa shaft 34 journaled in theplane 35, which is para tially broken away to show the shaft 3 1.

The aileron is indicated at 36, and is pivotally mounted. in the plane35 in the usual manner, the same rocking on and being fast me I and itsaileron 36, the ailerons of the two planes being arranged for alternateoperation by the rods 31 and 32. This aileron control is therefore hadby swinging the stick 1 transversely in either direction, which causesthe yoke 4 to rock on the trunnions 5 and 6, transmitting a like rockingmotion to the rocker 30.

In Fig. 6, we Ehave shown the device as useful in connec ion with tandemcontrols wherein 37 and 38 indicate two different controlling sticksconnected to rock together transversely through a shaft 39 by whichmotion may be communicated to the rocker 30 when the stick 38 is swungtransversely. In like manner a rod -l0 connects the two sticks 37 and 38so that the longitudinal swinging movement of the forward stick 3? mayoperate to pull or push the rod 21 and cause the operation of theelevators 28.

Furthermore, the shaft 17, which transmits movement to the rudder 29, iscontinued forwardly by an extension shaft $1 to the forward stick 3?where such shaft is turned by gearing similar to the gearing 15 and 16heretofore described.

e claim:

1. In aeroplane control, the combination of a hollow stick, meanswhereby said hollow stick may be supported to swing both longitudinallyand transversely, connections between said stick and the ailerons andaffected only by the transverse swinging of said stick to causeadjustment of the ailerons, connections between said stick and theaeroplane elevators and adapted to be actuated only when the stick isswung longitudinally for raising and-lowering the elevators, a steeringshaft journaled in said hollow stick, a steering wheel on the stick forturning said shaft, and connections between said shaft and the aeroplanerudder for steering the aeroplane from said stick, said last namedconnections including a universal joint for allowing the movement of thestick longitudinally and transversely without disturbing the ruddercontrol, substantially as described.

2. In aeroplane control, a hollow stick, a yoke to which said stick ispivoted for lon gitudinal swinging, means for mounting said yoke forhorizontal swinging together with said stick, connections between theyoke and the ailerons of the aeroplane, con-.

stantially right angles to the pivots of the stick and journaled topermit transverse swinging of the yoke and stick together, connectionswhereby transverse swinging of the yoke and stick may actuate, theailerons of the aeroplane, connections between said stick and theelevators of the aeroplane for moving the same when the stick is swunglongitudinally, a steering shaft journaled in the stick, means on thestick for turning said shaft, and connections between said shaft and therudder of the aeroplane and including a universal joint in alinementwith the trunnions of the yoke and the pivots on which the stick swingslongitudinally, substantially as described.

4. In aeroplane control, a stick mounted to swing transversely andlongitudinally, a rod connected to said stick and adapted to be movedforward and backward by the longitudinal swinging of said stick, ashaft, gear connections between said rod and shaft for turning thelatter when said rod is shifted, and gear connections between the shaftand the elevators of the aeroplane for moving the same when the stick isswung longitudinally, a rocker adapted to be moved when said stick isswung transversely, connections between the ends of said rocker and theailerons of the aeroplane, and steering apparatus carried by said stickand connected to the rudder of. the aeroplane whereby the direction' ofthe aeroplane may be controlled from said stick, substantially asdescribed.

VINCENT DE DOllrfl'NICI'S.

, FRANK A. REIP.

